Set in the year 2065,Thunderbirds follows the exploits of International Rescue: a secret organisation committed to saving human life, secretly founded and funded by the millionaire Tracy family. International Rescue has a host of technologically advanced land-, sea-, air-, and space-rescue vehicles and equipment ready to launch at a moment’s notice.

To bring the ultimate Thunderbirds experience to the tabletop, Modiphius has partnered with Matt “Brains” Leacock, designer of the hit games Pandemic, Forbidden Desert, and Forbidden Island.

We have been designing the game since the Spring of 2014, we have the sculpts and graphic design for all the components and after extensive playtesting the game is almost ready to go into production. We are now raising funds to pay for the print run and to help cover the cost of the expensive plastics tooling for the cool ships and characters in the box. Since we are so well prepared the game will go into production in April.

The Thunderbirds the Co-operative Board Game will then ship in August 2015 and be released in retail in September to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the cult TV show. The game will feature the detailed plastic models of the iconic Thunderbirds machines and a high octane world full of disasters for players to come to the rescue. You can expect the usual high quality design and components that fans of games produced by Matt Leacock and Modiphius have come to expect.

Simply choose the pledge that suits you on the right hand side or click on the green PLEDGE button at the top right of the page and follow the instructions - it's as easy as saying F.A.B!

You will be able to change your pledge and add items or pay for shipping after the Kickstarter closes using our Pledge Manager (card or paypal accepted), so if you're tight for cash now don't worry.

PAYPAL? Yes we can take pledges by Paypal if you're unable to pledge by card,just click here for our store page, select a Pledge and we'll invite you to the Pledge manager after the Kickstarter closes to complete your order and add any other items you want, shipping etc.

See below for Pledge Levels you can select. If you select the option with Gen Con, Essen Spiele or Dragonmeet pickup, you will be be able to collect the core box and any completed expansions. Any expansions which are not due to be completed by these shows would be shipped and charged at cost to you.

We also have a London Pickup option from the Modiphius office at any time (by appointment) so if you're in the UK you can collect when the items are ready!). Please add your shipping on top when you pledge (£40 pledges add it for you)

NOTE: The £75 Pledge is identical to the £65 Pledge which was originally locked. We've now re-opened the £65 pledge so choose that!

For any of the box set pledges (£40 and up) you can choose which box art you want (we will ask you this in the post Kickstarter survey). The original Shigeru Komatsuzaki Box Art on the left will be a Kickstarter exclusive box, whilst the Graham Bleathman box art will be for retail.

The base game will include beautiful COLOURED plastic models of Thunderbirds 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 plus playable character figures of the Tracy brothers Scott, Virgil, Alan, Gordon and John as well as Lady Penelope, FAB 1 and of course the villainous Hood!

Expansion 1 now includes 9 bonus Mission Cards (referred to as for Expansion 2 in the Stretch Goals)

This introduces 10 small plastic vehicles based on the famous vehicles from the disasters. Mission cards will signify to place these on the map, whoever completes the Mission claims the model and they can be cashed in for special bonuses. The vehicles include: Crablogger, Fireflash, Sidewinder, Sun Probe, Zombite Fighters, Gray & Houseman Mobile Roadbuilder, US Navy Sentinel, Martian Space Probe & Transporter, Helijet and the Seascape Drilling Rig. Here's some examples which will be approx 2.50-3cm long.

This lets the characters upgrade through completing missions, gaining new special abilities. Epic Play introduces Level 5 Schemes and Events to push International Rescue to the limit!

5 Level V Scheme cards

2 Event cards

2 F.A.B Cards

18 Levelling up cards (oversized)

Rulebook

International Rescue Agents ID Card Holder

Introduces rules and extra components (yes and more cool models) to allow a 5th player to control the Hood and his evil organisation. Here's the draft contents for the Hood (please note this is subject to change)

Hood Character Peg plus Hood Submarine, Plane & Temple (TBC)

28mm Jeff Tracy Figure as upgrade for Current Player Marker

6 F.A.B Cards

6 Event Cards

7 Scheme Cards

1 Character Card (The Hood)

7 Reference Cards

1 Camera Board with Tokens and additional counters

Rulebook

Thunderbirds Roleplaying Add On

Can you foil the Hood and his evil organisation's evil scheme? As members of International Rescue you'll race across the world dealing with terrifying disasters and the minions of the evil Mastermind, all the while controlling some of the most incredible machines the world has ever seen. This Add On will include a rulebook and card deck plus counters for use with the contents of the base game. The GM will use cards to layout the scenarios for International Rescue - these will introduce specific problems and plot complications for them to overcome with a combination of story telling, card and dice driven mechanics. Players will use the game board to move around Earth in the Thunderbirds models, but once at a location will have to deal with each disaster in a lot more detail plus the GM can introduce all kinds of complications and side plots as the face the Hood's evil organisation. Challenges will use the roll of two Thunderbirds dice from the core box, with the double Hood result being particularly bad for International Rescue! More information to come.

Check out how big the models are in comparison to a UK and US penny! Please note the final models will be in bright coloured plastics!

In Thunderbirds, you and your friends take on the role of International Rescue – a secret organization formed to render aid when all other means have failed. Meanwhile, your arch nemesis, The Hood, is threatening to trigger terrible disasters around the world in an effort to learn your secrets. If you can foil his scheme while completing your missions, then you and your fellow players win the game!

Each person plays different character in the game, for example, you might be Scott Tracy or Lady Penelope. All the different characters can operate any of the different vehicles. You might load up the Mole, fly Thunderbird 2 to Tracy Island, then hop into Thunderbird 3 with Alan and dock with Thunderbird 5 in Geo-stationary orbit. You’ll use all of the vehicles to complete different missions around the world and in outer space. And you’ll be continually weighing the threat of any of these individual missions against the overall danger of The Hood’s scheme.

Matt Leacock has decided to try out a little experiment. Since we still have a few weeks to polish the game, we thought we'd lift the veil and share the rules as Matt edits them in Google Docs and have them open for comment. Click here to find out more about the rules.

Check our previews below for some excellent play throughs of the game by Rahdo Runs Through It and Eric W Martin from BoardGameGeek

To add any of these to your pledge just click the green button at the top right and add the cost to your Pledge amount. We survey you on which Add On's you chose after the Kickstarter. A red or blue slash on the left indicates which items are part of the £40 or £65 pledges.

Thunderbirds is a cult 1960s British science-fiction television series, created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. It was produced using a combination of marionette puppetry and scale-model special effects, which was dubbed “Supermarionation”. Two series, totaling thirty-two 50-minute episodes, were produced, along with two films using the same techniques. Check out the trailer.

Racing to the rescue from a secret island base beneath the luxurious home of the Tracy family somewhere in the South Pacific Ocean, International Rescue defies enemy spies and criminals who want the secrets of their incredible machines for their own. To combat this threat, Lady Penelope, International Rescue's aristocratic English secret agent, and her chauffeur Parker lead a network of agents to uncover those behind the disasters caused by deliberate sabotage

A criminal mastermind known as “the Hood”, operating from a temple deep in the Malaysian jungle and in possession of strange powers, often engineers events to allow him to spy on the Thunderbird machines with the goal of selling their secrets to the highest bidder.

The iconic Thunderbirds are designed by the Tracy family’s close friend “Brains” and are assigned to each of the five Tracy brothers:

Thunderbird 1, piloted by Scott Tracy – a hypersonic rocket plane used for fast response and rescue-zone reconnaissance, and as a mobile control base.

Thunderbird 2, piloted by Virgil Tracy – a supersonic, VTOL carrier which transports their major rescue equipment in detachable pods.

Shipping is from the UK (within Europe), USA and AUSTRALIA so will not incur any duties on deliveries in these regions.

How to Add Shipping: The £40 Pledge automatically charges you the correct shipping. The £65 Pledge shipping costs are detailed below. Simply check which country you are in and increase your pledge total by that amount - contact us if you need help. Note that there is free shipping for the French edition within France for one shipment. Please add your shipping on now if you can as it all helps us meet the next goal!

Split Shipping? The UK get's free split shipping. Otherwise use the Split Shipping column above to find out the amount you should increase your pledge by to get a shipment in August of the core box and then a second shipment with the expansions before Christmas.

ADDING EXTRA PLEDGES TO SHARE SHIPPING?

Want to share the shipping with a friend? Simply adjust your pledge total to include multiples of the £40 or £65 pledge then add the shipping to your total as shown below.

If you are a retailer and would like to support this Kickstarter we have an great package for you, simply contact us to find out more, please include details of your store. We have listed a Retailer's Pledge which acts as part of the deposit for an order.

Modiphius Entertainment produced the successful Achtung! Cthulhu and Mutant Chronicles Kickstarters, has released the Mindjammer and Mutant: Year Zero roleplaying games, and recently announced the Infinity and CONAN roleplaying games. We have a great track record of customer service. We reply promptly to any queries and are constantly available during the Kickstarter to help you. Just try us! We also have a wonderful team we'd like to thank including:

Rob Harris - Modiphius Production & Development Manager, Rob also runs Playtest UK helping to encourage UK tabletop game developers. Rob has been co-ordinating the playtests and working with Matt on the game development.

Michal E. Cross - Modiphius Graphic & Layout Designer who has created the fantastic look and feel of the game. Michal is known for his beautiful design on the Achtung! Cthulhu books.

Chris Birch - Publisher and founder of Modiphius. Chris grew up on a diet of Thunderbirds and is the creator of the Achtung! Cthulhu universe as well as overseeing the product design on the Thunderbirds components.

Sam Denham - Sam wrote the Thunderbirds Agent's Technical Manual for Haynes and is an expert on the universe. Sam has been helping us fact check the game and making sure we stay true to the original stories.

Questron Group - This international studio of sculptors and artists have produced the Thunderbirds models and have worked on Super Dungeon Explore: Forgotten King, ACW - Alternative Civil War, Kings of War, Relic Knights, Total Extinction, Achtung! Cthulhu, Mutant Chronicles, Mars Attacks and many more miniatures lines.

Liya International - Liya are the Chinese factory we are working with who have produced games like Black Fleet, Guardian Chronicles, Robotech, Sentinels of the Multiverse, Super Dungeon Explore - Forgotten King, City of Horror, Lord of Xidit and Battlelore (1st Ed.) so they have extensive experience with plastics and production.

Risks and challenges

We have learned from our previous Kickstarters by doing as much development in advance - the rules and graphics are designed, the models sculpted and ready, the factory primed and ready, so we are as close as possible to ordering stock as we could be.

We have involved plastics experts to help us make sure the designs are suitable for plastics production and to help keep the designs as true to Thunderbirds as possible (which will speed approval of all components).

However, issues can still happen in production. Mis-communication with the factory can cause errors which cause delays and faults with moulds could slow down production. We have allowed extra time with the factory management for any unforeseen circumstances and so we feel well prepared.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £60 or more
About $92

THUNDERBIRDS & ROLEPLAYING (Approx $90 / €83) plus shipping

The Thunderbirds board game plus any unlocked BASE GAME UPGRADES plus Thunderbirds Roleplaying Add On. Includes name in credits. This pledge adds shipping based on your country. Further Add Ons may incur additional shipping which will be charged after the Kickstarter.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £65 or more
About $100

THUNDERBIRDS GAME & EXPANSIONS (Approx $99 / €88) plus shipping

The Thunderbirds board game PLUS all unlocked BASE GAME UPGRADES & EXPANSIONS. Includes name in credits. Shipping will be charged based on final weight of package including Expansions. Check Shipping Section for estimated costs. If parts of your pledge are available you may collect at Gen Con, Essen Spiele or Dragonmeet. Base game will be ready in August, expansions will ship before Christmas. ONCE WE REACH £70,000, THIS PLEDGE WILL BE LOCKED

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £65 or more
About $100

THUNDERBIRDS GAME & EXPANSIONS (Approx $99 / €88) plus shipping

The Thunderbirds board game PLUS all unlocked BASE GAME UPGRADES & EXPANSIONS. Includes name in credits. Check Shipping Section for estimated cost. If parts of your pledge are available you may collect at Gen Con, Essen Spiele or Dragonmeet. Base game will be ready in August, expansions will ship before Christmas. ONCE WE REACH £100,000, THIS PLEDGE WILL BE LOCKED

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £65 or more
About $100

THUNDERBIRDS GAME & EXPANSIONS (Approx $99 / €88) plus shipping

The Thunderbirds board game PLUS all unlocked BASE GAME UPGRADES & EXPANSIONS. Includes name in credits. Check Shipping Section for estimated cost. If parts of your pledge are available you may collect at Gen Con, Essen Spiele, Dragonmeet or Modiphius London office. Base game will be ready in August, expansions will ship before Christmas.

NOTE: THIS PLEDGE WILL NOT BE LOCKED! It includes the same as the £75 Pledge.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £75 or more
About $115

THUNDERBIRDS GAME & EXPANSIONS (Approx $115 / €103) plus shipping

The Thunderbirds board game plus Expansion 1 and Expansion 2 PLUS all unlocked BASE GAME UPGRADES & EXPANSIONS. Includes name in credits. Check Shipping Section for estimated cost. If parts of your pledge are available you may collect at Gen Con, Essen Spiele, Dragonmeet or Modiphius London office at any time. Base game will be ready in August, expansions will ship before Christmas.